Merry Met and Blessed Be
by JLAllen83
Summary: Returning home victorious, Meriadoc Brandybuck meets his future wife. DISCLAIMER: I don't own the rights to anything. As everyone knows, Tolkien wrote the books and New Line Cinema made the movies. This is just for fun. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

The story of my life is nothing of excitement like that of my husband. I was born into a quiet life in the Shire. My family was small and hard-working. We were also full of laughs and love. Every day we tended to our garden and farm animals, or whatever else required our attention at the time. In the evening we enjoyed good food, good ale, good smoke, and good company...as do almost all hobbits of the shire.

it just so happened that I was wrestling with the family cow, Gerda, for some milk, when I saw my future husband riding into town on his small horse. He was wearing clothes that were unusual in the shire, and an elvish cape that draped handsomely over his shoulders. I had seen Meriadoc Brandybuck countless times during my life, but he somehow looked different now. He seemed calm and confident, and perhaps a bit taller, but maybe it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. He had been gone for over a year, after all. There was something else about him that seemed different. His once broad, smiling face now carried a bit of sadness along with it. I saw it written on his face and in the faces of his companions as their horses carried them past me, and toward their homes.

I couldn't help myself, I gazed at him and his friends as they glided past me. I had almost forgotten myself when I noticed Merry had looked my way. I quickly ducked down behind Gerda, embarrassed that he had caught me staring at them. I quickly got back to milking, I mean wrestling, with Gerda until they had passed far enough down the road for me to stare again. I imagined the places they had been and the things they had seen – things I would never see from my family's farm in the Shire.

It was right in the middle of my daydreaming when I heard my mother. "Estella! Bring the milk! Hurry, child! We're waiting on _you_!" I quickly snapped out of my daze and finished as best I could. I grabbed my bucket of milk, patted Gerda on the back and said "See you in the morning, old girl." I hauled the bucket into our old, rustic hobbit hole. Our door was round, as were most doors in the shire. Our hole was a bit older than most, and was in need of a few repairs, but it had much character. A home that was clearly filled with love and good memories. Our walls had no paint, just the bare wood. We had a few drawn portraits of family members; my grandparents, Herugar and Jessamine Bolger, a few aunts and uncles, and there was a beautiful portrait of my parents on the day of their wedding. Other various doilies and hand made quilts were strewn around our hobbit hole as well. It was a very homey and comfortable place to grow up.

I took the bucket of milk to the kitchen and helped my mother prepare our supper. I sliced and diced countless vegetables while my mother prepared a bird my brother, Fredegar, had snared. No matter how many times I reoriented myself to my current task, I couldn't stop thinking about Merry and his friends. The looks on their faces were ones of relief to be home, but I couldn't shake the feeling that they were still at unrest about something. I couldn't imagine what had happened to them in the last year to change them so.

It didn't take long for word to spread across the Shire about the return of the great adventurer hobbits. We had three visitors before we even sat down to eat. None of them knew anything useful, just that the men were back.

When we finally got rid of our company and ate our supper, the four friends were all my brother could talk about. He asked endlessly about them, wondering where they had been and why they had been gone so long. I could see that my mother was getting tired of hearing his rambling, but to her credit, she said nothing. After eating, my father and brother went to the Green Dragon for drinks, where they hoped to see Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam to inquire about their absence. I longed to go with them, to catch a glimpse of Merry, but I knew my father would never allow it. "A pub is no place for a young girl," he would tell me. I tried arguing with him once, telling him that Rose Cotton was a young girl and she was allowed in the pub, but my father would hear none of it. He said Rose had a job there, whereas I would just be easy prey for a local drunk.

While the men were at the pub, my mother and I cleaned up the mess from supper. Then we sat near the fire, while my mother mended the holes my father and brother had put in their clothes while tending to our garden that day. I mindlessly followed suit and mended holes of my own. My imagination ran wild with visions of Merry and his friends slaying dragons and battling unknown evils.

I was curled up under my blankets by the time my father and brother returned from the pub. I quietly hopped out of my old, squeaky bed and tiptoed across my room to put my ear to my door, in hopes of hearing some news of Merry's whereabouts for the last year. Much to my dismay, I heard nothing discernible. Just the sound of two sloshed hobbits wobbling through the house, trying to make their way to their beds without breaking anything. A little disheartened, I returned to my bed and crawled under my covers. I let out a long sigh and settled back in. It didn't take long for my imagination to carry me off to the place where dreams rule.

Morning starts early for farmers in the Shire. I arose before the sun, and headed out to fight with Gerda again. She was just as feisty today as she had been the day before. She swayed and kicked at me as I tried to thief her milk. After the wrestling match with Gerda, I headed to the kitchen to help my mother with breakfast. My father and brother were rising as we finished cooking. As we sat down at the table to eat, my heart begged for them to talk about their night at the pub, but I couldn't bring myself to ask out loud. The last thing I wanted was for my brother to know that I had my eye on Merry. With a mouth like Fredegar's, it wouldn't take long for everyone in the Shire to know my secret. And less than that, I wanted my father to know. There aren't many things in this world more frightening for a girl than having her father find out she's is in love for the first time.

After eating, the men headed out to the garden. My father asked me to check on our picket fence, as it seemed to need some attention. Sure enough, the fence was desperate for some repair. The wood at the bottom had rotted and needed to be replaced. Women in the Shire were no delicate creatures. We all worked hard on our farms, and the work never seemed to end. So I knelt down on the ground and started pulling out the old posts. It was warm out and it didn't take long for me to work up a sweat as I pushed and pulled on the posts to loosen them from the dirt. After the first five posts or so, I didn't pay much attention to where I tossed the old posts behind me. All of a sudden I heard one of the posts make a loud _thunk_ noise and I heard a familiar voice behind me. "Ow!" The voice bellowed. I quickly turned around to see Merry behind me, knocked on the ground and rubbing the side of his head, above his ear. The spot where I assumed the post I hurled had hit him. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I turned blood red and gasped.

"I'm SO sorry, Merry! I didn't see you!" I quickly stood up and rushed to his side. "Are you okay? Are you bleeding? I'm so sorry!" I tried to inspect the damage I had done, but Merry held his hand over the wound. I could see he was trying to keep his composure, but was clearly in pain. He sat there for a minute, silently rubbing his head. I waited anxiously for him to get angry and start yelling at my carelessness, but he didn't. He regained his composure and slowly stood up. I reached over and brushed the dirt and grass off of his cloak. I couldn't help but notice the leaf shaped clasp that held his cloak together around his neck. It was deep green with silver veins. I could tell by it's simplicity and beauty that it was an elvish creation.

"I'll be fine," he said as he held his hand over the spot where my post hit. His eyes slowly rose to meet mine and he gave me a halfhearted smile. He took a few steps, walking away. I grabbed his arm to stop him. "Wait, I can't just let you go. You might be really hurt. Please come in and rest for a spell. We're just about to have second breakfast," I offered. He smiled again. "I can't. I was just out getting some air before I went on my way to see Frodo Baggins," he told me. A small ping of hurt ran through me when he told me he couldn't stay. I wondered to myself if he really had some place to be or if he just wanted to get away. I'm sure I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to get away from the girl who just tried to bludgeon him with a fence post. Even still, I wanted to help.

"Are you sure you're okay? I feel terrible. Is there anything I can do?" I offered again. He looked at me kindly, and grinned. "I think I'll live. I must be going." He took a few steps, then turned to me with a genuine smile. "Be careful with those posts, now." He said. I was grateful that he turned quickly and started walking down the road so he wouldn't see how red my cheeks and ears became. I couldn't help but smile though, at this small interaction.

I slowly made my way back to the fence, but I couldn't take my eyes off of Merry as he walked down the road toward Bag End. As soon as he rounded the corner and I couldn't see him anymore, I got back to work on the fence. The task went by much faster now that I was able to relive the smile he had given me over and over again. A smile so sweet for someone who could have just as easily been bitter and rude over the clumsiness of a young girl


	2. Chapter 2

I told no one of the accident with Merry and the post. It seemed everyone of the Shire thought of Merry and his friends as heroes now, and it was too humiliating to let anyone know what had happened.

It took almost two weeks for my father and brother to mill the wood for a new fence. And it had been that long since I had injured Merry. I hadn't seen him in that time either. The days drug by at the speed of a snail. Every day I hoped I would see him again, so I could apologize again, but with no luck. I imagined he was staying far away from the hobbit that tried to murder him.

After my morning ritual of wrestling with Gerda, making and eating breakfast and second breakfast, I got to work putting the fence back together. I hadn't been at it very long when I heard whistling in the distance. When I finally saw the body it was attached to, it turned out to be Merry. I couldn't help but smile. When he finally got within talking distance, he stopped whistling.

"I wanted to make sure you could hear me coming this time. I don't want another mishap." He said with a wide grin. I smiled and looked away, a little embarrassed. When I looked back at him, he had grabbed a fence post and was kneeling down beside me. He must have seen my confusion, because I didn't even have time to ask what he was doing when he told me "I'm afraid for the people of the Shire. I figured I had better help you with this so no one else sustains injury at the hands of the post-hurling Estella." I let out a loud laugh, and then he chuckled. I didn't have any time to argue with him before he grabbed the hammer and started pounding the posts into the ground.

We didn't speak for the first three posts he put in the ground. After that, the atmosphere was turning a little awkward and uncomfortable. Things raced through my mind to say to him, but no words escaped my lips. Finally I was able to manage "So how do you like being back in the Shire?"

He looked like the question had caught him off guard. He paused for a moment. "I must confess, it's strange being back." he said as he started to hammer again. Then he stood silently and still for a few seconds, and stared off into the distance. "I see that nothing here has changed, and yet in my heart the whole world looks different." He paused and looked at me, then back at the fence. He continued, "The colors of the grass in the fields and the flowers in the yards don't look as bright as they did before. The ale doesn't taste as sweet, and the smoke has lost some of it's power." It was then that I saw the sadness wash over his face again, just as I had seen the day he got back to the Shire. He looked dazed for a second, then glanced at me and seemed to snap out of the trance he had been in. He gave me a tiny smile. "But it's good to be home again. There's comfort here that is nowhere else." Then he continued to hammer the posts without saying anything. A thousand questions raced through my mind, but I didn't ask any aloud. I let Merry have his peace for as long as he needed it.

Leave it to my brother to interrupt our silence. "Merry! I'm so glad to see you! What are you doing? Come and have elevensies with us!" Merry jumped up and greeted my brother with a quick hug.

"It's good to see you again!" Merry told him. I stood back and let them have their small talk. My brother patted Merry on the arm and said "Come in. Eat with us." Merry smiled and nodded in agreement.

"I can't say no to a good meal." He told my brother. Then he flashed a smile my way as they headed into the house.

My mother already had tea in the kettle and tea cups on the table. She smiled and greeted Merry. He was a gracious guest and had nothing but nice things to say to everyone. He showered my mother with compliments about her cooking, and he told my father and brother how wonderful their garden looked this year. Everyone was all smiles by the time we got done eating. To his credit, Merry never said anything about the fence post incident, and I was thankful for that. My brother would never let me live that one down.

After eating, my father finally addressed the elephant in the room. "So, Mr. Brandybuck, I've been hearing so many rumors about your adventures, but I want to hear the truth on the matter. Where _have_ you been for the last year?"

Merry smiled and looked down at his tea. He took a deep breath and thought about his words. "Well, Mr. Bolger, it is really quite a long story. Have you heard of the ring of power?" None of us had. He gave us a short rundown of the history of the ring. We were all enthralled with his tale of corruption, especially me. He proceeded to tell us that Frodo Baggins had gotten this infamous ring from his uncle, and that he was charged with destroying it. Merry didn't go into deep detail of the adventure, but he told us that he vowed to help with Frodo's journey, and he got separated from Frodo and Sam and ended up in a battle against Sauron's army of orcs. He told us of the giant elephants and trolls. The intensity in Merry's eyes was fierce. I could see that Merry had been genuinely affected by the things he had seen. After the story, we all sat silently for a few moments, in awe of what we had just heard. My father stood slowly and walked to Merry. He reached out his hand to shake Merry's.

"It seems you really are the hero they say you are.. You and your friends really did save Middle Earth. You are welcome here any time, my boy." My father told him. My heart jumped for joy to hear this. I prayed Merry would take my father up on this offer. Merry just smiled and took my father's hand. "Thank you, sir." He said to my father.

After the niceties and good-byes, I went back to the fence. There wasn't much left to do, so I got to hammering the rest of the posts. I didn't even get one post in the ground when Merry came up behind me.

"Trying to take my job, eh?" He joked. I smiled.

"Not trying to. Just wanting to get this thing done." I replied, motioning to the fence. He grinned as he reached down and grabbed the hammer from me. Electricity ran through me as his hand grazed mine in the exchange. "Were there really giant elephants?" I asked gracelessly. He chuckled and kept hammering.

"Yes. Five times as big as your house." He said. There was apparent awe in my face and it made him snicker. As he continued to pound fence posts, he told me about Rivendell and meeting the elves. He explained the beauty of of their city and how they made everything they touched exquisite. I had a hard time believing this was the same man that stole Gandalf's fireworks and farmer Maggot's crops. He seemed so much more mature now. So worldly.

I could no longer deny it, I really was in love with Mariadoc Brandybuck.


	3. Chapter 3

After Merry helped finish the fence, it was another week before we saw him again. The next time he stopped by, he helped my father fix the thatching above our door. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to speak with him that time, but I was able to sneak a peek at him from our front window. I lost myself in my own daydreams until I heard my mother clear her throat behind me. When I turned around, she was standing behind me, at the entrance to the kitchen, drying one of her mixing bowls with a dish towel.

"You needn't stare, my dear. Very unladylike." She said with a crooked grin. My cheeks and ears burned red, knowing I had been found out.

"...Does everyone know?" I asked timidly. She smiled. She set her bowl down on the counter and threw her towel over her shoulder, then walked toward me. She put her hands on my shoulders and leaned her face in toward mine.

"You could be a _bit_ more discreet, but I don't think all of Middle Earth has figured it out...yet." She said quietly. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then she continued, "Merry is a good man. If he knows anything about anything, he'll see what a catch you are, my darling."Then she gave me a firm hug. I smiled at the compliment, but I also knew parents told their children sweet lies to protect their feelings. I hoped this lie turned out to be a true one. I took one last glance at Merry before I went to the kitchen and helped my mother with the cleaning. "Please don't tell father," I pleaded. My mother smiled and nodded to acknowledge my request, then continued with her cleaning.  
The days and weeks went by, and we saw Merry infrequently. He occasionally stopped by to help us to repair something around our farm. He would stay for the next meal, then be on his way to visit with his friends, Pippin, Sam and Frodo. On a few occasions, Merry would help me with small tasks around the farm, like distracting Gerda while I milked her. On those occasions, he would tell me more stories about his travels around Middle Earth. He described the treacherous mountain of _Caradhras_ and the great halls of Moria. I felt like a little child when he told me his tales. I listened intently and let my imagination run wild. I had never seen orcs or goblins or giant elephants, and probably never would. I had never seen battle, nor did I want to. It's not in a hobbit's nature to want to fight, but if the cause was great enough, I'm sure every hobbit in the Shire would take up arms. Merry's cause_ had_ been that great and I admired him for his courage and strength.

A few weeks later, after my brother had gone to town to buy some spices for my mother, he came running back to our hobbit hole as if he was being chased by a dragon. He could hardly breathe by the time he ran in the door, so it took him a while to tell us what the excitement was about. After huffing and puffing for a spell, he was finally able to manage to tell us that Frodo had invited him to go with a small group to Rivendell, as an escort, to hold council Lord Elrond. Fredegar couldn't tell us what the council was about, but he was to leave in the morning. After an angry lecture from our father about why he shouldn't go, and after the tears from my mother worrying about his safety, I was able to ask him my own question. "Who else is going?" It was all I could think about. I prayed deep within that Merry wasn't joining the group, but a part of me knew he wouldn't let Frodo go anywhere without him by his side. My heart sank as my brother listed off the names of his fellow traveling companions: "Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, and Pippin Took," he told us. The rest of the night there was an overwhelming silence in our house. It laid heavy on us all like a thick fog.  
When we all retired for the night, we all had our own ways of coping. My brother packed, of course. My father sat next to the fire, staring at the flames while pretending to read a book. My mother cried, alone in her bed. I was able to keep my tears contained, but there was a sorrow inside me that couldn't be controlled. I was caught somewhere between rage and heartbreak. I didn't know how long my brother, or my Merry would be gone. It was a month long journey to Rivendell. That would mean at least two months without seeing either of them. What could I do, except wallow in my own loneliness and tears?

The morning came much too soon and I only caught a short glimpse of the group as they passed by our home, and my brother joined them. Merry looked handsome in his elven cloak, and he was sitting straight and confident as their ponies marched by. He looked my way and shot me a quick smile. I returned his with an even wider smile of my own. My father stopped them all to shake their hands and wish them luck on their journey. My mother held her composure until the group was far enough away that they couldn't see her tears, then she turned and ran into the house to cry alone.

My father slowly moped his way to his garden. I knew uncertainty weighed heavy on his mind. The field was quite large, since it had to produce enough food to last us through the winter. Knowing there was going to be a lot more work for him now that my brother was gone. I allowed my father some time to himself, then I joined him to assist him with the task. There were weeds to be pulled and everything needed to be watered and cared for. Between that and mending fences so wild animals wouldn't eat our vegetables, it was an all day job. I was thankful for that, so it would keep my mind off my brother and Merry, and their companions.

The first few days were the hardest. It felt as if I could think of nothing else. My only savior was that the work was never ending, so by the end of the day I was so exhausted I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. By the second week my body had adjusted to the extra work. My muscles didn't ache like they had for the first few days Fredegar was gone. I was able to help my mother in the kitchen in the morning, work in the field all afternoon, then back to the kitchen for supper, and ended the night mending clothes with my mother. With all of the extra work to do, we weren't able to have our usual seven meals per day. Until Fredegar returned, we were down to three meals per day. It wasn't an easy adjustment, since we had eaten this way all my life, but knowing it was only temporary made it a little more tolerable.


	4. Chapter 4

Day in and day out, it was the same. Wake before the sun, eat breakfast, work like mad, eat in the afternoon, work like mad again, eat supper, then work until we collapsed from exhaustion every night. A month after the group had left, my parents and I had our daily routine down to a science. Even Gerda seemed to be understanding of our situation, and was much more cooperative during milking time. Our field was growing beautifully, and the harvest time would be coming up in another month. My father had taken over Fredegar's animal snares, and had been fairly successful with them, so we never had to go without a decent meal.

In my mind I had started a mental countdown. One month down, one more month to go...or at least I had hoped it would be that soon. It could be, but only if their adventure required just a short stay in Rivendell. I tried my best not to get my hopes too high that they would be back so quickly, but it was hard not to. I avoided idleness, because that is when the loneliness really took hold of me. I longed to hear one of Merry's stories, and to watch the expressions of excitement on his face. I smiled when I remembered the way his eyes lit up when he told me his tale of the Ents, and how they had defeated Saruman. He recognized the magic in his journey, and it made his tales all the better.

Some time in mid September, we attended the wedding of my cousin. The ceremony was outdoors and was beautifully decorated with every kind of flower from the shire. The party afterwords was full of food, ales, smoke. I was sitting back watching the event, when a hobbit named Tosto Boffins asked me to dance. I looked to my mother, who was sitting next to me, to find the words to tell him no. My mother flashed a wide grin, then pushed me off of the bench we were sitting on before I had a chance to say anything. As much as I didn't want to dance, I had a good time. We laughed as he twirled me around. After the song I thanked him for the dance, then returned to the bench with my mother. She nudged me and smiled. "He's a good looking boy, isn't he, Estella?" Tosto wasn't bad looking by any means. His family was a good one. They were farmers like we were. He seemed to be a good man, hard working, but easy going. But he was no Merry. I knew a life with Tosto would be much like my life now. Work, work, work. Cook, cook, cook. And making little Boffin hobbits. A life with Merry would include all of those same things, but I would get to hear his stories, and see the fire in his eyes when he spoke of the evils of Middle Earth. And a life with Merry would include baby Brandybucks, which were the only kind of babies I dreamed of.  
After the party my parents and I returned home. My father had had his fill of ale, and was a bit sloshed. My mother and I had to guide him to his chair by the fire. That was all the farther he was able to make it before he fell fast asleep. My mother smiled at me. "Time for bed, my dear," she said to me as she patted my shoulder. I nodded in agreement, as I felt just as tired as my father.

A few days later, my father had to go to the village to buy a few new tools for our garden. The tools we had now were old and rusty, and my father's favorite hoe had finally busted. When he returned, Tosto was with him. Tosto had helped my father carry his new tools. They were chatting away when they entered the house. My father told my mother to put the tea kettle on the fire. I was in the kitchen with mother when they arrived. She told me to be sure I made enough food for one more.

While sitting down to eat, Tosto and my father spoke of farming. Tosto was beaming as he spoke of how plentiful his garden was this year. He looked right at me and smiled widely, as if I should be impressed. My mother saw how disinterested I looked, which she considered to be very rude, so she kicked me underneath the table. I straightened myself up and tried to look more interested, but it was hard for me, considering some of the other wild stories that had been told around our table. Compared to Merry's, garden tales were quite dull.

After his visit, it was back to work at the farm. After supper, my father went to the Green Dragon for a few drinks. I stayed home with my mother, of course, as there was plenty of house work to be done. We were in the middle of dusting the living room when I heard my mother let out a deep sigh. "You know, Estella, Merry may be gone a long time." I pretended not to hear her. She paused briefly, "Estella? Did you hear me, girl?"

I looked at her. "I know, mother," I said gently, then went back to cleaning.

"Tosto is a good man. He would make a good husband." She continued. I kept cleaning, not acknowledging her statement. "Estella?" She said, a little louder. I knew she wanted to have a real conversation about it, but I was trying my best to avoid it. I didn't want to admit to myself that Merry could be gone indefintely. I looked at my mother. She saw the sadness in my eyes. "I know how you feel about Merry, but Tosto is a _good_ man. He would make you happy, my dear." She told me. It would take more than that to convince me that he could ever make me happier than Merry could.

"I know he's good, mother, but...I just...I can't." I took a deep breath and felt my eyes start to fill with tears. "Excuse me," I said as I turned around and quickly walked out the door. It was dark out, and I drug my feet through the tall grass so I could feel it between my toes. I always felt better when I was outside. I found a nice, quiet spot on a hill to cry on. I had realized how much I really missed Merry and I let it all out. I hated crying, but I felt much better when I was done. After I composed myself and wiped my cheeks, I headed back to the house. My father was there when I got back. Not quite as drunk as he had been after my cousin's wedding, but his words were a bit slurred. He mentioned that Tosto had been at the pub. I didn't care to stay and hear that story, so I took myself to bed.

The next morning, I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. _Sometimes you just need a good cry_, my mother would sometimes say. She was right about that. The work seemed to pass a little easier, and the day went by fairly quickly. It was around lunch time when my father informed us Tosto was coming for supper. I didn't let my parents see or hear, but I rolled my eyes and groaned to myself. _Not more tales of gardens,_I thought.

When Tosto arrived, my mother had a good meal over the fire. It smelled divine. Tosto brought gifts for everyone. A bottle of nice wine for my father, spices for my mother, and for me he brought a book. "So you can have adventures of your own." he said with a smile. We thanked him for the gifts, then he and my father sat around the table while mother and I finished cooking. My mother used some of the spices right away. When we sat down to eat, my father opened the bottle of wine and poured some for us all. It was good, indeed. The food was delicious, but the conversation left something to be desired. More talks of farm animals and gardens and the impending harvest. I tried to look interested, but in my head I was miles away. At least I was able to look involved enough that I didn't get kicked under the table.

Tosto stayed for a while after supper. He and my father sat around the fire and smoked their pipes. Mother and I cleaned up after supper and did the housework. Afterwords, I excused myself to bed. "Don't forget your book," my mother reminded me. I grabbed it and off to bed I went. After I changed and crawled into bed, I picked up the book. _A Dance With _The_ Goblin King, _it was called. I couldn't bring myself to read it, so I set it on my night table. I could hear Tosto and father laughing and carrying on. I let out a deep sigh, then turned over and went to sleep.

Over the next couple of weeks, Tosto came over almost every other day. He brought more gifts for us as well. Wines or vegetables or herbs from his family's farm. He helped my father with work around our home. Things that were in disrepair got replaced, and it seemed like my father enjoyed the company.

When it was time for the harvest, Tosto was right there, every other day, by our sides helping. By the end of the night, all of our backs ached from all the bending over. The harvest lasted weeks, so not only was Tosto helping his father tend to their own crop, he was doing double work by helping us with ours as well. He was indeed a hard worker, and always managed to keep a pleasant attitude while slaving away.

After the yearly harvest, there was a large party to celebrate with all of the people of the Shire. Everyone brought a covered dish or dessert. There was drinking, dancing and merriment to be had by all. My mother had made a new dress for me for the occasion. It was the same shape and length as most of my dresses, but the color was a pale pink, instead of the usual green or brown of the dresses I wore on a daily basis. My mother said it brought out the pink in my cheeks and made my eyes bright blue. She also added an embellishment of lace around the sleeves and the hem of the skirt. It was probably the most feminine dress I had ever worn. She also fixed my curly hair so it was half up in the back, and framed my face in the front. When I looked into our only mirror, I realized that I had never felt so much like a grown woman before.  
As usual, my mother made her famous rhubarb pies for the gala. The celebration started off rather quiet and quaint, but by the time the sun went down and the children went to bed, the ale flowed like a river and the music got loud and fast. Tosto grabbed my hand and wouldn't take no for an answer. We danced to a couple of songs, then I excused myself back to the table. Tosto followed behind me. When I got to the table my parents had been at, I realized they had gone home. They had never left me anywhere before. I told Tosto I should probably go. He offered to walk me home, but I told him I would be fine. Again, he wouldn't take no for an answer. He offered his arm to me, and I took it out of politeness.

We walked together, and got further and further from the lights and music of the party. Tosto made small talk about the party and about how plentiful the harvest was. Pretty soon we heard no more music, but only the chirping of crickets and the singing of bullfrogs. Lightning bugs were lighting our way. If I were some other girl, this would probably be a romantic moment, but he only things I had on my mind were getting home to see why my parents had left me, and trying to get away from Tosto before something awkward happened.

Then, suddenly, something awkward happened. As we were walking along, Tosto stopped. I stopped also, thinking something was wrong. Tosto turned to me and grabbed my hands. _Oh no. What's going on?_ I thought to myself. Then he started to speak. "Estella, these last months I've spent with you and your family have made me realize what I want in life. I want you, Estella." Then he got down on one knee. "Would you do me the honor of being my wife?" My heart was racing. I was at a loss for words. I stuttered, trying to get _something_ to come out, but no words came. It looked as if Tosto thought this was a good thing. He had a wide smile on his face, as if I had already said yes. "I promise I'll do everything I can to make you happy and take care of you." He added, as if that would seal the deal.

I finally got my wits about me. I gently pulled my hands away from his. The smile on his face slowly faded. I took two steps back. "I...I can't." I said quietly. Tosto stood up.  
"But why? I've been with you almost all summer. I've helped as much as I could around your farm. I thought this is what you wanted." He told me. His face was full of hurt, and my heart hurt for him. I knew this couldn't be easy for him, but I couldn't help the way I felt.

"I don't know what I want, Tosto. I just know I can't say yes to you." I managed. Tosto didn't say anything else. He took a few steps backward, then turned around and walked away. "I'm sorry, Tosto." I added. He kept walking. I stood there for a few moments before turning around myself and making my way home.

I could see there was a fire burning before I even walked in the door at my house. When I entered, I saw both of my parents sitting by the fire. They looked over at me with smiles on both of their faces. I could tell they had known that Tosto was planning to propose. He must have asked my father's permission, and that's why they had left me there with him, so Tosto get a moment alone with me to ask. The second they saw my expression, their smiles were gone. My mother closed her eyes and put her head down. I think she had hoped I would say yes more than my father did. She wanted me to have a quiet life and family with a farmer, not a wild one with an adventurer like Merry.

"How could you not tell me?" I asked them both. They looked up and could see the anger in my eyes. A part of me felt betrayed, even though I knew they only wanted what was best for me. Neither of them said anything. My father looked away and stared into the fire, and my mother put her head back down. I walked by them and went to my room and shut the door behind me. I pulled my blankets back and crawled in bed. I didn't even bother changing into night clothes. I covered up and laid there. I pictured the look on Tosto's face over and over again. I felt horrible for hurting him so. I heard my parents in the other room murmuring to each other. I assumed they were discussing how disappointed they were that I wasn't going to marry Tosto.

After a while, there was a light knock on my door. I said nothing, hoping they would assume I was sleeping. Then I heard the door knob turn and I saw my mother on the other side. She slipped in my room, then quietly shut the door. She sat on the side of my bed. "I'm so sorry, Estella. I really thought you would say yes." At that, I sat up and let the tears flow freely from my eyes. My mother leaned in and held me tight, letting my tears soak her shoulder. She never asked questions about why I was crying, and she never pulled away, she just let me wail into her shoulder until I was finished. It was all of my emotions at once; feeling so very horrible for hurting Tosto - he had done so much for my family in my brother's absence. And he was the only boy who had made it known that he was interested in me, and now I had burned that bridge with a fire bigger than any of Gandalf's fireworks. Then there was my loneliness from missing Merry and my brother, and not knowing if I would ever see either of them again. It felt like my world had crashed in around me in a matter of minutes. I just wanted to sleep. I wanted to sleep until enough time had passed that I felt nothing. Unfortunately, life doesn't quite work like that. My mother hugged me tight and whispered that everything would be okay. After I had calmed down, I laid back and my mother stroked my hair until I fell asleep, then she slipped out of the room.

The next day I didn't wake before the sun. In fact, the sun was high in the morning sky by the time I jumped out of bed. I quickly changed out of my party dress and into a plain chore dress. I tied my hair out of my face as I ran out of my room and into the kitchen. My mother was calmly churning butter and humming to herself. "Why didn't you wake me?" I asked promptly. She just smiled at me.

"Because you needed to rest. You had a bad night and we didn't want your morning to be any worse. I don't want you to do any chores today. I want you to go for a long walk by yourself. Walk somewhere quiet and relax. Take the day to yourself." She insisted.

"Mother, I'm fine-"

"No!" She cut me off. "I want you to _go_. Get some air and sunlight. Come back tonight and we will have supper together. I don't want to see you until then." With that, she smiled and went back to churning and humming. I stared at her for a moment, not quite knowing what to do. "Go!" She insisted again. I turned and slowly started walking toward the door. "Oh wait! Take this with you!" She called as she ran to me with a small package. "It's just a little food for you to eat today. Enjoy yourself, my dear." She said, then patted me on the behind and scooted me out the door.

I walked through the tall grass and let my feet drag a little. I walked quite a ways when I came upon a shade tree next to a pond. _This is the spot, _I thought to myself. I set down the package from my mother, then I walked over to the pond and lifted my skirt a ways so I could soak my feet in the water. It was warm and felt wonderful, so I went in a little deeper, up to my knees. I walked back and forth across the banks, just enjoying the sunshine and the water. A light breeze went by me. If it hadn't been for the night before, that day would have been perfect. After a while, I went back to the shade tree and opened the package from my mother. There was some fruit from our apple tree, a piece of cheese, a bottle of wine, and some bread my mother had baked that morning. I grabbed the apple and went out into the sunshine. I laid back into the grass and let the warm sun wash over my body. I ate the apple and listened to the birds sing.

When I had my fill of sunshine, I went back to the shade tree. I sat up against the tree and closed my eyes. I tried not to think about the look on Tosto's face again. Instead I imagined my brother's homecoming. It had now been two months since they had gone. My countdown was over, and we still had no idea when—or if they would be coming back. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep against the tree. By the time I woke, the sun had moved to the other side of the sky. I knew I still had a couple of hours of daylight left. I opened the bottle of wine and had a drink, then ate some cheese and bread. I waded through the water again and soaked up some more sun. When the sun was a little ways from the horizon I headed home.

When I walked into the door, I could smell my mother had already started supper. Iwalked right to the kitchen. When my mother looked up from her vegetable cutting, she gave me a big smile. "Hello darling. I hope you enjoyed yourself." She said. I smiled back to her. I set down the package she sent and helped her finish supper. When my father came in, we all sat down at the table to eat. There was an awkward silence as we began eating. I knew my father wanted to ask what was wrong with me, why I would deny such a good man as Tosto. I didn't have the answers he wanted to hear. He wouldn't understand that my only reason was because I dreamed of someone else. No one would start up a conversation. We ate in silence. When we finished, my father excused himself, then went and sat by the fire and smoked his pipe. I knew I had disappointed him by refusing Tosto. I knew deep down that he would forgive me some day, but this wasn't the day. The next day probably wouldn't be the day either.


	5. Chapter 5

As the days crept by, my father slowly started talking to me again. Starting with "Good morning", then adding a few more phrases here and there. Then sentences, then finally after a week, while we were gathering wood to chop for winter, he was able to muster the words to talk to me about Tosto. His comment came out of nowhere. "Estella, I just want you to know, my dear, that I'm not angry with you for refusing Tosto. I don't agree with your decision, but I would never ask you to marry someone you don't love. I just want you to be happy, dear." He confessed. My eyes welled up with tears, but I was able to keep them from overflowing.I was so thankful that my father had moved past his disappointment in me.

"Thank you, papa." I said to him. I hadn't called him "papa" in years. It was a name children called their parents when they were young. He walked to me and gave me a big, reassuring hug. "I love you, my dear." he told me. I smiled and hugged him tighter, and he returned the hug. "I love you too." I replied. After our sentimental moment, we continued our work. It seemed to go a lot easier after the tension of silence was relieved. I felt like the weight of a thousand giant elephants had been lifted off my shoulders.

It didn't take long for Tosto to find another girl to make his little Boffin babies. He was married to her three months later, in the dead of winter. My parents both went to the ceremony and party, but I stayed behind. I was just as happy at home, mending clothes and smoking by the fire. Smoking was generally considered unladylike, but since no one was around, I didn't see the harm in it. I even picked up the book that Tosto had given me. Winter time wasn't good for many things, but for reading books, it was perfect weather.

The winter was long, and it didn't seem like it would ever end. Missing my brother and Merry made it seem like it lasted a year. We waited every day for them to come home or to at least get word that they were okay. When the snow finally started to melt, we were ready for it. When the crocuses started to bloom I knew Spring had finally arrived. My father had already started his seedlings and was making his plans for the garden that year.

It was two months after the snow had melted when my father came running into the house and yelled "They're coming! They're finally back!" My mother and I knew exactly who he meant. We dropped our handfuls of cheese and bread and ran out the door. My brother seemed almost as excited to see us as we were to see him when he hopped off his horse. I got to him first and threw my arms around him. He had lost weight on his journey. He clenched me tight, then put me back down. Next up was my mother. She wept with joy as she held him. It was then that I saw Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam coming up the road. Apparently my brother had got excited and rode ahead when he knew he was so close to home.

"My boy!" My father said proudly as he gave my brother a quick hug. Then my father looked to the rest of the group. "It's so good to see you all again! Please come in and have some tea with us!" The group smiled and thanked my father for the invitation, but Pippin spoke for the group and said they had to go see their families. Frodo was the only one without close relatives by, but Sam's family had pretty much adopted him as one of their own, so Frodo was to go with Sam.

All of them looked tired. I couldn't blame them for wanting to get home. I had already been smiling, but my smile grew wider when I saw Merry was looking right at me. He smiled to me and said "Hello, Estella. It's good to see you again." I melted inside. It took me a moment, but I finally managed to say "It's good to see you too, Merry. I'm glad you all made it back safely." He continued smiling as his horse walked slowly by. I couldn't help but stare like a fool. He stared back for a couple of seconds, then looked back to the road. As the men went down the road, my father yelled to them all to be sure to come by for tea some time. They all turned and waved to acknowledge his offer.

My mother barely let my brother go as we went into the house. She stuffed him with every kind of food we had in the pantry. Fredegar pulled out his pack and handed out gifts he had gotten for us in Rivendell before his return. He gave my father seeds for his garden. They were special Elvish seeds that grew faster than normal plants and got bigger than any vegetables we had ever seen in the Shire. For my mother, he had a jewelry box made completely of jade, and inlaid with silver Elvish writings with tidings of good luck. And lastly he handed me a small wooden box. When I slid it open, there was a beautiful Elvish necklace. It was silver, with delicate and intricate elvish knots surrounding a perfectly shaped round amethyst. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever had. I gasped when I saw it. My brother took it out of the box and put it around my neck. I felt like a princess. I couldn't stop touching it. He smiled widely at me and said "All women should have something pretty to wear." I thanked him heartily an wrapped my arms around him again. I didn't want to take the necklace off, and I wore it for the rest of the night.

We sat around and listened as my brother told us of his journey. Apparently there had been a bit of trouble with some of the Orcs that had lived through the War of the Ring. They were pillaging small villages, trying to find somewhere new to settle since their home had been destroyed in battle. The Elves had called on their old friends to come to the aid of the villagers in peril. Fredegar said they never even saw actual battle because Aragorn's army had taken care of the Orcs. So they were just there to aid the villagers. They helped them clean up the carnage and get ready for the spring so they could replant crops and repair their farms. I was so thankful for that. We feared so much for my brother and his friends while they were gone. Fredegar asked how things were at the farm. My father told him that we had a plentiful harvest and had plenty of food to last the Winter, and then some. My brother looked at me and patted my shoulder, and told me how proud he was that I took over the work while he was gone. No one made mention of Tosto helping us, and I was thankful for that because that would have been another long conversation I didn't feel like getting into.

We knew Fredegar was worn down and tired, but we were so happy to see him that it was hard to let him go to bed. We all wanted to stay up and visit with him. After an hour or so, he excused himself and retired to his bed. We heard him snoring within minutes. I was glad for him that he found sleep so easily. After cleaning up from supper and talking with my parents for a while, I excused myself to bed as well. I laid there, listening to Fredegar snoring, but I thought of Merry. I wanted to see him again so badly. I prayed he would come by the house again soon. I had a hard time falling asleep with all the excitement. It took almost two hours for me to wind down enough to doze off.

The next morning was full of excitement. All of us but Fredegar were up early. We could still hear him snoring away as we fixed a magnificent breakfast. My mother spared no expense while fixing my brother's favorite things. Bacon, eggs, fresh bread with butter we made that morning. She also fixed his favorite breakfast cakes and she used her expensive tea for a welcome home meal. When my brother finally came out of his room, he looked well rested. He smelled the food cooking and smiled in anticipation. We ate heartily, then sat and visited. My brother laughed when he saw that I still had the necklace on. I promised him I would take it off before I went out to do chores.  
That day passed quickly, as we all got to work and enjoyed each others company. My brother and father went to the field to plant the seeds he had brought. Mother and I tended to the house work. We went back to the usual seven meals per day now that Fredegar was back. It felt so good to have him home again. We all missed him so.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a week since my brother got home. I hadn't seen Merry again since that day. I tried to think of any excuse to go seek him out, but sadly I could think of none. So day in and day out, I worked on the farm. Always something to do, so at least I was able to keep busy.

There was to be a celebration in honor of the group returning. Since Merry hadn't seen me in the pink dress my mother made, I didn't mind wearing it again. I also had her help me fix my hair again. Lastly I donned the necklace my brother had brought me. When I looked in the mirror I felt beautiful. I hoped Merry would think I was too.

When we got to the celebration, there was a special table set up for them. There were early spring flowers everywhere. It was more grand a celebration than any wedding I had been to. It was beautiful. As usual, it was after dark when the party really got going. The music played loudly and the ale was plentiful. Even my parents got up and danced, which was a rare occasion in itself. There were quite a few girls I saw that had their eye on Fredegar now that he was an adventurer. He loved the attention and danced the night away with them all.

I kept my eye on Merry as much as I could without drawing too much attention to myself. My brother forced me up to dance a few times, and Merry and I took turns passing each other during the dances, but never had a whole dance together. I still cherished every moment I was able to be near him. I saw there were other girls doting on him. He didn't pay them much attention, but he didn't turn them away either, which caused a tiny pang of hurt to run through me.

I waited and waited around, but Merry never came to talk to me. A few drunk hobbits tried to get me to dance with them, but they were sloppy drunk. I had no desire to be groped in front of the Shire, so I said no. It was then that I realized the party had gotten a little too rowdy for me, so I took one last look at Merry and scuttled off to a quiet, dark spot by the lake. It was a perfect storybook night. A clear sky, a warm breeze in the air, crickets chirping, and frogs singing to their mates. I could hear the music from the party, but it wasn't overpowering anymore. I found an old log laid on its side by the lake. I sat down and looked up at the sky. The stars were as bright as they ever were. The moon was full and it lit up the ripples on the lake so much that it reminded me of the stars. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. What a perfect night it was.

Soon after I sat down, I heard a twig snap behind me. I turned around and to my very pleasant surprise, there was Merry, walking toward me, with his pint of ale still in hand.

"May I join you?" He asked. I was beaming.  
"Of course you can." I said shyly.

Merry sat down near to me, but not too close. "Beautiful night, eh?" He said. The smile I had would not stop. I nodded and said "Mmm hmm." Merry chuckled a little.

"You're sure not very talkative. I remember when you were younger, you could talk the ears off a billy goat." He joked. I snickered a little.

"I don't know what to say. You've been all over Middle Earth and seen everything imaginable. What is there that I could say that you haven't already heard?" I inquired.

"Ha!" He said. "There is plenty more to talk about." He smiled at me, then took a drink of his ale, but he didn't have any suggestions for conversation. We sat there in silence for a few minutes. Finally he spoke.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Merry said to me with a twinkle in his eye. I looked at him, curiously.

"Yes, of course. You can tell me anything," I gushed. Merry hesitated for a moment, then swallowed a drink from his stein, then set it down on the log beside him. He took deep breath and smiled.

"Do you remember the day I was walking by and you struck me with the fence post?" He began. Immediately I blushed and looked away in embarrassment.

"Yes." I murmured. Merry paused for a moment, then finally managed to get his words out.

"I wasn't just out for air. I was walking past your farm, hoping to see _you._ Ever since I saw you when I returned to Shire, I wanted to see you again and again. I was hoping I would get a chance to talk to you, but I lost my nerve as soon as I saw you." He chuckled to himself, then continued, "I was trying to walk past you without you noticing me when I got hit with the post."

The smile on my face was so big, I was sure it reached the corners of my ears. His words were like magic to me. I looked over to him, but he didn't return my gaze. He was looking out onto the lake, as if he was afraid of what I might think of his confession. I reached over and put my hand on his. At that, his eyes met mine. He saw my smile, and slowly one grew on his face too. He turned his hand over and our fingers intertwined. He started to lean in for a kiss. I knew what I should do; I should lean toward him and gently let our lips meet, but I panicked. Instead of landing his kiss on my lips, it ended up on my cheek. He pulled back, then turned away awkardly.

I tried to speak twice, but nothing came out. Then I finally managed, "I'm sorry, Merry. I've never kissed a boy before. I don't know what to do," I confessed. I was mortified. When I looked at Merry's face, I could tell there was hurt there. I pulled my hand away from his. He looked at me, then turned away again.

"I should be going. Good night, Estella." He said as he got up. I couldn't say anything. I sat there for a minute and just watched him walk away. I sighed, then beat myself up over my own stupidity. All I wanted was Merry and I may have ruined it. How could I reject something I wanted so badly?

Suddenly it dawned on me what I had to do. I got up and ran after Merry. I caught up with him and touched his shoulder from behind. He bolted around to face me, and seemed surprised to see me. I threw my arms around his neck (which was rather hard, considering how tall he was compared to me) and I planted a deep, long kiss on his soft lips. He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me tight. The kiss he returned was so full of passion that I felt my knees give out. Instead of falling to the ground, Merry lifted me up and continued the kiss without missing a beat.

When he finally set me back down, I was shaking. He took off his cloak and put it around my shoulders, then pulled me in for a long embrace. He kissed my forehead, then said "Let me walk you home." I said nothing, but I reached my hand to his and grasped it firmly. We walked next to the lake, slowly making our way to my home. Before we rounded the curve near my house, he pulled me in for another long kiss. I savored every second of it. When we got to my door, I noticed all of the lights were out. My mother and father must have been at the party still, or they were in bed. I was sure my brother was still at the party, soaking up all of the attention from the girls as he could.

Merry walked me all of the way to my door, then snuck in another quick kiss. Our hands were the last thing to part. I removed his cloak and gave it back to him. He waited until I was inside and shut the door before he walked away. I caught a glimpse of him from our front window. He had a wide smile and seemed to walk confidently down the road toward his home. The smile on my face mimicked his. My cheeks hurt from smiling so wide. It wasn't until I turned around and saw my mother sitting in her chair next to the fire, knitting, that the smile quickly dropped off my face. As soon as she saw my face turn from elated to serious, she laughed out loud.

"Don't worry, Estella. Your secret is safe with me. Off to bed with you, now." She said, never missing a stitch with her knitting. I couldn't help but smile again. The smile just wouldn't stop. I was beaming all of the way to my room, I smiled as I changed into my night clothes, I smiled as I crawled into bed and covered myself up, and I smiled as I drifted off to sleep. _The best night of my life_, I thought to myself as I dozed off.


	7. Chapter 7

When I woke up the next morning I felt like I was glowing. My skin still tingled where Merry had touched. I repeatedly recalled the way the light hit his face, and how his skin felt so warm next to mine. I could hardly get my chores done for all the daydreaming I was doing. Hard as I tried, I couldn't focus. I spent as much of the day as possible outside, working on menial tasks as close to the road as I could get, that way if Merry walked by I would see him first.

He didn't walk by. He didn't come by all day. I was starting to wonder if I had done something wrong. Surely he wouldn't have smiled so wide and walked so straight if something was amiss. I droned through the day, and actually got quite a bit of work done outside, so at least it was a productive day around the farm. My mother could see the look of concern on my face as I helped her prepare supper.

"Don't worry, my dear," she began. "He'll be back around. I'm sure he doesn't want to seem too eager. Real love takes _time."_ She looked to me and smiled sweetly. I tried to return the gesture, but I could barely manage to get the corners of my mouth to lift at all. My mother reached over and patted my shoulder, then gave it a tiny squeeze.

As we sat down to eat, my brother told us of all the girls he talked to. I couldn't help but laugh to myself over his story of how he had all of the girls at the party captivated by his adventures. My brother was a good man, and he had always been denied attention by the hobbit girls. Now he was so worldly to them and I loved it for him. I hoped to myself that he picked a good one out of the bunch. He made multiple mentions of a girl named Lily. I knew her and she was, indeed, a nice girl. Also from a hardworking farming family. She was pretty too. About my height, a little more plump, but she had the prettiest hair of any hobbit woman I had ever seen. It was long and with perfect curls. Her smile lit up a room, and apparently lit up my brother as well. I hoped he picked her out of all of the girls he mentioned.

Shortly after we got done eating, my father and brother told us they were going to the pub. My mother and I cleaned up from supper, then sat around the fire. She made no mention of Merry, and I was glad for that. I was a little hurt that he hadn't come by the farm that day. Mother and I turned in rather early that night. I was tired from the days work, as was she. I laid in bed for a long time before I fell asleep. I relived the night before over and over. It made the hurt sting a little less. Finally I drifted off with a tiny grin on my face.

I was awoken a few hours later by my father and Fredegar, stumbling in the house, talking loudly about their night at the pub. I couldn't make out all of their slurred words, but some things rang in loud and clear.

"I'm so proud, (hiccup) my boy. Such a strong man to...uh...take care of my...uh...Estella! What more could a (hiccup) father ask for?" My brother mumbled something back, then loudly stated, "I told him if he ever does anything to hurt her, I'll knock that curly hair right off his head!" At that, my mother stormed out of her room.

"Will you two PLEASE quiet down! You'll wake the whole Shire!" She yelled. There was utter silence. I could imagine the look on their faces. My mother rarely yelled, but help you if you woke her up at night. My mother went back to her room and shut her door loudly. There was a moment of quiet, then the two drunkards busted out laughing. They stammered good nights to each other, then retired to their rooms.

I thought about the words they had slurred as they walked in the door. My heart rejoiced in thinking that Merry had asked my father and brother to court me. The courting process for hobbits was usually much like everything else they did, slow moving and thorough. It wasn't unusual for hobbits to be engaged for two or more years before getting married. Some however, like Tosto, were in a much bigger hurry to start their family. I wasn't in such a big rush, but I certainly hoped the courtship wouldn't last a full two years. This was the time for a couple to get to know each other before they threw themselves together in a hobbit hole of their own.

I looked forward to getting to know Merry more. Not that he was completely unfamiliar to me, we had grown up together. I had watched him grow from a small boy to the tallest hobbit I had ever laid my eyes on. He had gone from a light hearted prankster into a man who risked his life to fight evil and save all of Middle Earth. I never would have thought he would have grown so much in the last two years. I could see he still had a glint of prankster in his eye though. He was quick to laugh and smile and dance, or to pull a chair out from under his cousin, Pippin, while he was trying to sit down.

I had the hardest time falling back asleep after hearing my father and brother. My imagination ran rampant. I dreamed and pictured the perfect moments of my life with Merry. The flowers he would give, the perfect wedding, and the ten children we would have, all named after beloved friends and family. I didn't expect life would let me have it quite so perfect, but that's what dreams are for.

The next morning I woke early, because as soon as I woke up again, I started daydreaming again and couldn't get back to sleep. I went out to Gerda, who since my brother returned, was back to her old tricks. We had our daily wrestling match to get her milk. When I got back in, my mother was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. I pretended to not hear what my father and Fredegar were saying, and I asked her what they were going on about. "Just wait until your father gets up and he'll tell you all about it," she told me with a smirk. I knew better than to inquire any further. My mother wasn't one to repeat herself kindly.

My father and brother were in the deep slumber of a drunken stupor. So much so, that my mother had to wake them up just to eat. She knew how bad they both must have felt from the night before, but she had no sympathy for drinkers, especially ones that woke her as they stumbled into the house. She loudly stomped around the house, intentionally making all the noise she could. I wished she would take it easy on my father so he would be in a good mood and tell me what happened at the pub.

My father and Fredegar shuffled out of their rooms and to the dining room table. My mother and I were already waiting for them there. We loaded up our plates and began eating. I stared at my father, waiting for him to tell me about the night before. He was still dazed by his aftereffect, and wasn't even looking up from his plate. I looked to my mother, and she looked back at me, then to my father. I heard a _thunk_ under the table, from her kicking him. He jumped, then seemed to snap out of his trance. He took a drink of his tea, then set it down. He didn't look up at me, but said, "Meriadoc Brandybuck was at the pub last night." I looked at him, but tried to to make any noticeable faces. Then he continued, "Well, my dear," then he hesitated for a moment, then looked at me and continued, "he asked if he could court you."

I couldn't help myself, and a smile quickly grew on my face. "What did you tell him?" I asked. My father took another drink of tea, then replied, "I told him I would talk to you first, to see how you felt about it." I didn't say anything for a few seconds. My father cleared his throat, then said "Well? What do you want, my dear? Do you want to be courted by Mr. Brandybuck?" I didn't want to seem too eager, but I couldn't contain my happiness. "Yes!" I blurted out, then caught myself. "Yes, father. I feel very fondly of Merry," I confessed.

"I told him if he ever hurt you, I'd knock his head off!" My brother interjected. I smiled and told him thank you for that. I looked around to everyone at the table. They were all wearing smiles, myself included.

My father looked up and informed us "Mr. Brandybuck will be over for supper tonight to discuss the courtship." My mother nodded in acknowledgment, then we finished our breakfast in a content silence.


	8. Chapter 8

The day went by fairly quickly, considering how excited I was about Merry coming for supper. I cleaned the house like a madman to make sure the house was in pristine condition for the visit. Every knickknack got dusted and every corner got swept. Every rug got beaten and every surface got wiped down. I couldn't think of a time when the house looked so clean.

My mother decided to make rabbit stew with fresh bread for supper, and she made an apple cobbler for dessert. A while before Merry was supposed to arrive, she pulled me aside and told me to put on my nice green dress that she had made the year before. Since it was newer, it had the least amount of wear on it. The color was still vibrant and there weren't any holes in it yet. After I dressed, she came in and helped me fix my hair. More casual than the night of the party, but still combed and put back neatly.

When I heard the knock on the door, my heart started racing. My father opened the door. Merry stood there, looking fine as ever. He was dressed nicely, but not too formally, and he had donned the Elvish cloak he put around me after the party.

"Good evening, sir." Merry said to him, with a friendly grin on his face. My father returned the exchange and shook his hand. "Good to see you again, Mr. Brandybuck," he replied. Merry looked past my father and saw me standing in the dining room. His grin turned to a wide, toothy smile. My father took Merry's cloak and hung it up near the door, then he continued his greetings with my brother, then my mother, and he saved me for last. He walked to me with a genuine smile, which spread all the way through his face, and even into his eyes. He reached to me and took my hand into his. "It's good to see you again, Estella," he said as he looked into my eyes. I melted inside, and a wide grin enveloped my face. "I'm glad to see you again as well." I responded. Merry gently released my hand as we all walked to the dining room table. My mother and I excused ourselves to the kitchen to bring the food in.

When we got back, the men were sharing some ale. They were laughing and sharing stories of Merry and Fredegar's trip. My mother sat the pot of stew in the middle of the table, and the bread in between my father and Merry. We ate heartily. We listened to my brother talk of all the girls he spoke with at the party. Even Merry mentioned that Lily was probably the most decent girl he could pick out of them all. After eating supper and dessert, we sat around and talked some more. Merry asked how things on the farm were, and my father told him how well the seeds Fredegar brought were growing.

After much chitchat, my mother knew it was time for her to excuse us women, so the men could retire to the living room to talk. This would be the time where they discuss how long the courtship would last and the price of the dowry. My father would lay down his rules on how to be a proper husband, and my brother would be there as the enforcer to make sure Merry said all the right things. I was glad I wasn't there with them, listening to it all. It would most certainly be embarrassing having my father give Merry the lecture on what was to be expected of a husband.

After my mother and I had finished cleaning, my mother grabbed a smoking pipe she had in the cabinet. We walked outside and sat on a bench close by. She lit the pipe and took a few puffs, then handed it to me. There wasn't much to say quite yet about everything with Merry, so we sat on the bench and enjoyed the smoke and the cool breeze blowing by.

The men were talking for a long time. I had never thought about what kind of detail planning went into a wedding. My mother and I were almost ready to retire for the night when my father, brother and Merry came out the front door. Merry had his cloak back on, so it was safe to assume the night had come to a close. My mother and I stood up to tell Merry good night. Merry bid my family good evening, then gave me a quick peck on the cheek, and a gentle squeeze of my hand, then turned around and walked away.

We all went back in the house. My mother sent my brother and I away so she and my father could talk. I went to my bedroom, but I didn't go to bed. I stood by the door, straining myself, trying to hear what they were talking about. Unfortunately, they were too quiet and all I heard were muffled sounds. I gave up and got ready for bed. I crawled under my blankets and tried to get comfortable, but the longer I laid there and thought about it, I felt as if all this waiting around was going to drive me mad. I felt like I _needed_ to know. I got myself out of bed and went to the living room where my parents were. They both looked up at me, surprised. "I need to know," I said plainly. My mother smiled and looked to my father. He looked back at her, then to me and grinned.

"Come. Sit." He said, and gestured to another chair near the fire. I sat down and put my feet toward the warm flames. "We've set the date for this fall, after the harvest."

"But that's only a few months away." I interrupted. My father put his hand up to stop me.

"I know when it is!" He exclaimed. "It will be after the harvest, so we'll have plenty of food and supplies by then. Mr. Brandybuck has a home lined up for you after the wedding, not too far from here. We've worked out almost all the details, my dear. Until then, you'll stay here with us and Mr. Brandybuck will be 'round occasionally to see you. I told him I don't want any funny business until _after_ the wedding." That made me blush. I had barely even thought about funny business. I was content with hugs, kisses and intertwined fingers.

And with that, my mother stepped in, "That is all, my dear. Go back to bed. We'll talk more in the morning," she told me. I nodded in acknowledgment and went to my room. The short conversation had tamed my curiosity enough for me to get some rest.

I was up early again the next day. From all the cleaning we'd accomplished the day before, the housework to be done was next to nothing. Gerda must have sensed how euphoric I was and was kind enough to take it easy on me, so as not to disrupt my daydreams. Even my mother let me dream away instead of helping her in the kitchen like I should have.

When we sat down to sleep, I expected there to be conversation of the wedding date, or wedding details or wedding...something, but there wasn't a word of it. It was as if nothing had changed. My father and brother discussed the farm tasks to be done that day, and my mother talked about canning jams. I said nothing, hoping _someone _would bring up the fact that I was about to become Mrs. Estella Brandybuck. Perhaps it wasn't such a big revelation to the rest of my family, but to me it was the most incredible news I had ever heard.

As we were cleaning up after breakfast, I asked my mother what the first order of business was for the wedding planning. She chuckled as she cleaned the plates and said, "Not to worry so much about it, my dear. Your father and I will sort it all out. When the time comes, we'll get your opinion on the details." I didn't inquire any further, knowing that was all the information I was going to get out of her for now. After we finished cleaning, my mother and I went about our usual tasks of mending clothes, watering and weeding the herb garden, and anything else we could find to be done.

The days went by like most any other. Farm life was a constant uphill battle of chores and carpentry. It had only been a few weeks since my brother had given my father the Elvish seeds that grew quickly, and they were already producing vegetables. Huge tomatoes and peppers, rows upon rows of green beans and corn. According to my brother, they would keep producing until the first snow. It was quite a long life for these vegetables.

I still knew almost nothing of the details of the wedding, except the date was October 3rd and I needed to be at the location (which I still didn't know) by 3:00 in the afternoon. It was frustrating to be so excited about something I had no clue about. I wanted to be involved in every decision, but that's not the way things worked in the Shire. Not traditionally, at least. Then again, I was never one for outdated practices.


	9. Chapter 9

Merry came by the next day and asked my father's permission to take me on a picnic. My father agreed, but told Merry that he was only allowed to take me on top of the hill near the house, so my father could keep an eye on us. Merry had already packed food for us, so I grabbed a blanket for us to sit on and we headed up the hill. He extended his arm to me and I took it. As we walked together, Merry slowed his stride so I could keep up with him.

"I'm glad you agreed to come out with me." Merry finally said to break the silence.

"I'm glad you came by." I told him. A million questions ran through my mind to ask him, but I couldn't focus on a single one of them to keep the conversation going. Merry cleared his throat.

"I see your field is looking good this year. Your brother told me you and your father took good care of it last year. That must have been a pretty big job for you to pick up as well." He was trying so hard to talk to me, but I was blank.

"We all had to pick up extra work." Was all I could manage. It wasn't long before we reached the top of the hill. It was actually a rather nice view. The hills were wide and rolling, and filled with wildflowers and tall green grass. There were even a couple of fishing ponds within sight. The particular hill we were on was covered with tall grass and dandelions. I ran my fingers through them as we walked.

When we reached the top, I laid down the blanket I had brought. We sat down and Merry opened a bottle of wine and handed me a glass, then filled his own. He then pulled out the food he had brought. There was bread, jellies, and cheeses, along with some fresh apples and strawberries. We ate and made small chitchat, then Merry really broke the ice when he asked me, "So, Estella, what do you think of setting the wedding date this Autumn?" The question caught me off guard. I glanced at him, then looked away.

Then he continued, "I don't know why you've been so shy." He stated, concerned. I took a deep breath, but nothing came out for a reply. Merry took a deep breath of his own, then reached his hand over to mine. "Please don't pretend like I haven't known you all of our lives. I've seen you converse with your own shadow when there wasn't anyone else to talk to." He smiled and paused for a moment, then continued, "Don't get me wrong, I adore that pretty face of yours, but I want your voice as well. If you don't like something, I want you to call it out. I want that girl. I fell in love with _that _girl. You don't have to be meek and mild for me. You're smart as a whip. You always have been." I soaked in his words and a smile grew on my face. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He was surprised by my kiss and jumped a little when it landed on him, then he smiled wide and turned to face me, waiting for a response.

"Well...It's just...I'm not sure..." I stopped and took a breath. "You've been all over Middle Earth. You've seen Elves and Trolls and Goblins and battle!" I sighed, "...And I've been _here_...in the Shire...farming. I feel like there's a whole, worldly side of you that I'll never be able to understand. I suppose I don't feel like I have anything to say that would keep you interested," I confessed.

When I looked at Merry, he was staring at me intently. He looked so serious. He squeezed his fingers gently around mine. "I'm _so_ glad you weren't there for the things I saw. They were horrible things that no one should see. The fear I felt, in thinking I might not be able to save the ones I care about here in the Shire, was crushing. All I wanted to do was make sure the job got done, so the people here, in this beautiful spot of land, would never have to see the blood on the battle field. They'd never have to feel the tiredness and the hunger we felt out on that field. I never want to think again of little children having to flee their homes, and hide in caves away from those evil monsters." Merry stared off into space for a moment, then returned to me and continued, "I'm so glad you were safe here, in the Shire. I want this place to always be as safe and beautiful as it is."

What could I say to such a revelation? I tightened my grip on his hand and said. "So do I." We sat in silence for a few moments. "Tell me more about the Elves, Merry." I urged him, trying to change the mood. Merry looked at me and smiled.

"What do you want to know?" He asked.

"Are they really as beautiful as everyone says?"

"All of the ones I saw were tall and fair. They move gracefully and quickly when need be. They make the most delicate jewelry," he paused for a moment and reached in his pocket, "like this." He said with a crooked grin, as he presented me with a necklace. The chain was thin, but sparkled like a hundred stars. The pendant was an elegant and subtle series of Elvish knots surrounding an intricate tree, with tiny green stones in place of the leaves. I drew in a quick breath.

"Merry, it's so beautiful!" I stared at it for a few moments before I let Merry put it around my neck. I smiled widely as I touched it. The chain was so smooth, it felt like silk under my fingertips. "Thank you!" I said, sincerely. For a few moments, Merry just watched me as I doted over the shiny bauble. When things got quiet again, I finally got the nerve to ask the question I'd been wondering about since my father first told me. "I have a question for you, Merry," I began.

"Anything." He replied, then took a sip of wine.

"I was just wondering why you and my father set the wedding date so close. Most engagements last a year or two. Ours is just a few months away," I blurted out. Merry looked a little puzzled.

"Do you not want to get married so soon? We can push it back-" he started, but I cut him off.

"No, I want to! I was just wondering _why_ you chose to have it so soon." A tiny grin came over his face, then he looked at me again.

"After everything I've been through in the last few years, I'm ready now, and your father seemed confident you wouldn't object," He said steadily. He smiled, then went on. "I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't know you. And you've always been the prettiest girl I've known." After he finished, I nudged him gently with my elbow.

"What about Daisy Boffins? You seemed to fancy her for a while." I teased him, knowing his history with the local girls. Merry took the joke well, and chuckled a little.

"If you remember, Miss Daisy Boffins quit seeing me after she met that odd fellow from Greenfields. Broke my heart at the time, you remember?" He chuckled a little, then looked at me sweetly, "but she'll never be as good a woman as Miss Estella Bolger, I tell you." He leaned his shoulder in against mine, and gave me a little wink. I laughed a little, then Merry continued, "That's why I want you. I can't hide anything because you know me so well. You make me feel like...home."

I had never been granted such compliments. My cheeks turned bright pink and I smiled widely. "Thank you, Merry. That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

Merry looked rather pleased with himself, then he got a mischievous look in his eye and said, "Well, now it's your turn to tell something embarrassing." I giggled a little, then thought for a moment.

"Hmmm. I don't know where to start." I took a drink of wine, then continued. "You know me just as well as I know you. You were there that time I was a girl and I ate too many pies at the fall festival, then I got sick right in the middle of everyone dancing. I think that was the year I ruined Daisy's sister's dress. Do you remember? She was so mad!" I said, barely containing my laughter. Merry clearly remembered too, as his laughter was louder than mine. "Is that embarrassing enough?" I asked.

After regaining his composure, he thought about my question for a moment with an audible _hmmm_, then said "No. Keep going." I thought about more things, but nothing was coming to mind.

And then finally, after taking a large drink of wine and a very deep breath, "I'm really glad you and my father decided not to wait a year or two to set the date. I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember. I would have married you ten years ago if you'd asked me. Being here with you like this, and knowing that I get to marry you in just a few months, it's really like a dream for me." I was indeed embarrassed, and I looked to Merry to see if that was enough for him. From the look on his face, it was. He was grinning widely and looked very pleased with himself. He squeezed my hand.

"Well at least we know where we stand now," he said confidently. "I'm in love with you, and you're clearly _madly_ in love with me, so I think we've made a good decision here, to get married. You're a wise girl, Miss Bolger," he joked. He then pulled out his pipe and lit the pipe weed inside. After he took a few puffs, I caught the scent of it.

"May I?" I asked, gesturing to his pipe. He looked surprised, with raised eyebrows. Then a crooked grin grew on his face.

"Of course!" He said, playfully. He extended his pipe to me, and I welcomed it, with a smile. I took a few puffs, then handed it back. He inhaled, then made a few smoke rings. He offered me the pipe again and I took it. I managed to make a couple of smoke rings of my own. After that, it became a contest of who could make the most rings. There was no winner, but it afforded us time to be silly together, which was prize enough.


End file.
